Abstract

• In the present study, the leaf of Bauhinia purpurea L., locally known as “Swedaw-ni” was selected to screen some bioactivities. Firstly, the phytochemical constituents were investigated by the reported chemical methods. The qualitative elemental analysis was done by EDXRF technique. The crude extracts were prepared by the solvent extraction method. Total phenolic content in ethanol and watery extracts was carried out spectrophotometrically using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Ethanol extract (32.58 µg GAE/mg of extract) showed higher phenolic content than watery extract (21.73 µg GAE/mg of extract). In the study of the antioxidant activity, ethanol and watery extracts were screened by DPPH radical scavenging assay. The ethanol extract (IC50 = 5.75 µg/mL) was found to be more potent than the watery extract (IC50 = 8.51 µg/mL) in the antioxidant activity. The antimicrobial activity of both extracts was investigated against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus pumilus, Candida albicans and E. coli. The results showed that all tested microorganisms were susceptible to both ethanol and watery extracts of B. purpurea leaf. In addition, acute toxicity of ethanol extract was investigated with the dosage of 300 mg/kg, 2000 mg/kg and 5000 mg/kg body weight on albino mice and no lethality was observed up to fourteen days after administration. The Chemical nature for not been studied yet, however, the leaf of B. purpurea is likely to have potent biological activities to use as ingredient in preventive medicine.